In a startling admission in the wake of the ongoing protests against corruption by civil rights activists, defence minister A.K. Antony said on Wednesday that all those holding key positions in India in various fields including politicians are “still not ready” for the transition in the “transparency revolution” that the country is currently
experiencing. He said this was the reason why there were “problems in this transition period”, but added that this too is a phase of Indian democracy.
Speaking at the Press Club here, the defence minister said, “There is transition now (in India), transition to this transparency revolution. (But) India is not ready. Indian politicians, bureaucrats, armed forces, all those holding key positions in India, they are still not ready for this transition. That is why there are now some problems in this transition period. But it is also another phase of Indian democracy. After a few years, this will settle (down) but the transition will go on.”
Mr Antony said the “walls of secrecy were crumbling in every field”, including politics, administration and business, adding this “trend” cannot be stopped midway and that this “transparency revolution will percolate to all walks of human life”.
Mr Antony also underlined the need to be “careful, balanced and fair” in taking decisions in a democracy since one has to face the consequences of the decisions taken when one is in power.
He spoke about the role of the media, NGOs and social activists in bringing about transparency but pointed out that ultimately it was the Indian Parliament that passed the Right to Information Act.